By Willy Wilson | Oct 21, 2009

A touch of Pompeii in Alor Setar

Mention Pompeii and images of the ruined and partially-buried Roman city in Italy comes to mind.

Believe it or not, Malaysia has its very own “Pompeii” as well. Located on Jalan Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar, Pompeii is a luxurious residence that is owned by a prominent Malaysian family.

The cubical structure has been creating buzz in the architectural world due to its unique multiple-courtyard and distinctive contemporary design. Furthermore, Islamic elements are cleverly incorporated into the architecture.

These unique features are based on the French concept of the urban and grand “private house”, which is also known as hôtel particulier.

Star Property chats with Pompeii’s Swiss Architect, Mr. Johannes Holenstein of ‘architectures.net’ and discovers what went into the Pompeii that was built in Kedah.

French Concept, Malaysian Style
“Popularised by the French, hotel particulier refers to an urban private house of a grand sort and constructed for a single family,” says Holenstein, referring to the concept he adopted for Pompeii.

“The size and appearance of a hôtel particulier articulates the social role the owner occupies,” he adds. As such, there should be no question as to the prominence of his Alor Star-based clients.

But Holenstein insists that there is more to Pompeii than just a luxurious house.

“The main purpose is to have a representative residence for a family of 6, guest accommodation and an office,” he says.

Consists of three buildings, Pompeii is crafted thoughtfully to suit our tropical climate. Take, for example, the outer walls that are kept in a heat reflecting white. To achieve this function, the walls are rendered with a synthetic acrylic before being coated with Dulux weathershield.

To further keep the heat out, half-metre cavity walls were built. Apart from that, silicon-sealed, double-glazed aluminium windows with argon gas were fitted. Because of all the measures taken to keep the house cool, the home requires minimal air-conditioning.

“An indoor water feature is located at the centre of the house, adding a real and psychological cooling effect,” says Holenstein.

The concept of 'a house within a house' comes into play with the presence of cuboidal space inside the house where the three buildings come together. It also functions as a prayer room. Modelled after the Kaaba – the cubiodal building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia – the black granite cube boasts a 2.5 metre waterwall on one side and lush greenery on top. The pyramid-shaped glass roof above allows sunlight to stream into the room for a warm and welcoming effect.

Hallmark of Brilliant Spacing
The residence has a few courtyards. The entrance courtyard has granite pillars while the interior courtyard takes up two floors of the main building. Also, a swimming pool separates the main building and the guest house. Pompeii doesn’t actually draw a clear line between spaces, but instead, it is designed to function based on division of space.

“Clean lines and simplicity give the project its expression. (There is) no decoration for décor’s sake alone. The style of the building is a result of this expression,” Holenstein explains.

A two storey interior courtyard “The Stage for Living” which comprises of precincts that allow the family to carry out different activities simultaneously is at the base of the concept.

It is safe to say that Pompeii is not only built to be aesthetically pleasing, but extremely functional as well. The residence, which houses a family of six as well as acts as the homeowner’s office, is actually a hallmark of brilliant spacing strategy.

Pompeii, Alor Setar may not have as much history as the ancient ruins of Italy, but it sure is as memorable as its historic namesake.